What’s that noise in the walls? (not for the weak)

September 5, 2013

Scratching sounds can mean only one thing.

It wasn’t long after we had finished the basement that we started hearing sounds in the walls and ceiling… and sometimes a foul smell. Those who know that dead mouse smell… well, you know. We never did see mice droppings for the years prior to the basement being renovated. The last thing I wanted to do was open up the walls…

Over the years I’ve seen my share of nasty surprises. An infestation of mice in a 2003 Chev Avalanche bring back nasty memories. Yet, here I am, cutting a hole in the wall to do an exploratory of what I might find.

Opening up the drywall.

Oh my. Well its appropriate I guess. halloween is coming up and I’ve found what appears to be a graveyard of mice. From recently dead, to dead for a while, to several skeletons. All total… with a quick look while sweeping the contents into a dust bin and brisk walk to the woods… I counted 7, maybe 8.

Dead mice in the walls.

I don’t know if they are getting into the wall cavity and can’t get out, or, if something is finding these dead carcasses and dropping them off here, or maybe eating them here. I’m not a mice expert so its guesswork.

Either way, its a gross situation. I set two traps, one of peanut butter and one of cheese, to see if there are any remaining. I put the cut piece of drywall back up and secured with a screw. Will check the coming days to see if anything appears.

Meanwhile, we will have to decide whether or not to open up the other 3 cavities to the right, all the way to the corner because we have heard scratching sounds in these areas as well over time.